I am often asked this question, and my usual response is Raleigh 6.25.2000. (I don’t really consider Coventry an option.) The only redeeming part of this show was the first-set closing “Melt.” The rest of the show was totally uneventful, and considering the shows that surrounded it (Lakewood and PNC stands), this one really stood out as a stinker. Just look at this second set—nothing.ever.happened. The second set starts with a generic “Jibboo” opener and it just gets worse from there. “What’s the Use > Slave” is a cool show-closing combo, but after a lackluster set, its effect was totally lost, not to mention that the “Slave” was nothing special. Throw in a mid-set “Scent of a Mule” followed….just shoot me in the face.

I. NICU, Sample in a Jar, The Old Home Place, Punch You In the Eye, Water in the Sky, Funky Bitch, Horn, Heavy Things, Dirt, Split Open and Melt

@Dustinlewis148: If you had chance to interview phish collectively, but could only ask three questions, what would they be and why?

1) What is your intent when you take the stage each night and has it changed over the years?

2) How do you decide when you will jam and when you won’t?

3) What happened at Dick’s?

***

@GeeRubbs: What is your favorite indoor and outdoor Phish venue? And where have you not been but want to go?

Indoor: Any venue that has a truly GA Floor. The Centrum is pretty dialed in at this point now that they took the seats off the floor

Outdoor: Any Festival due to unlimited space and freedom.

Not Been (but would like to go): With all the cool venues they’ve hit this era, there is really none on my list.

***

@Teddier If you could ask Phish to play segues they have never tried what would be your top 5?

I’d like to see them out of songs and then creatively work their way back. They did this more when they were younger. How about:

Tweezer -> Mike’s (with second jam) -> Tweezer

Bathtub Gin -> Roses are Free -> Gin

Harry Hood -> My Left Toe -> Hood

Split -> What’s the Use? -> Split

Reba -> Splinters of Hail -> Reba

***

@stillwading: 3 songs in the TAB rotation that you’d most like to hear the Phish interpretation of?

“Dark and Down,” “Spin,” and “Greyhound Rising”

***

‏@hombredelrey: In your opinion, what song(s) have potential to become future 2nd set jam vehicles?

“Stealing Time” and “Ocelot” have carried potential since their debut, but as my high school football coach said, “Potential never won a ball game.” To answer your question, I honestly have no idea. I hope some new songs to show their face very soon.

***

@robjeschke: What was the hardest part about putting together your book? #mrminersphishthoughts #phish

The most difficult part was figuring out how the book would flow. At first I had a tremendous amount of content (that all needed editing) but no real organization. I had developed “chapters,” but the second half of the book felt detatched from the first half. When my designer and I came up with the idea of “connectons,” a light bulb went off in my mind—it could be a giant, Phish-based, choose your own adventure book! All of a sudden, the sprawling volume had a thread running through it. The reader could navigate the book—and the band’s entire career—in any order they chose. We had a system that created a non-linear flow to the book, a similarity and correlation to Phish jams themselves. But the incredible minutae that went into creating the entire system of connections was staggering; it was a entire project on its own. But it worked, and it came out great!

I’ll use this opportunity to plug the most recent sale that is going on over on the book site. From now through the holidays, Mr. Miner’s Phish Thoughts is on sale for $29.99 plus shipping and handling. This is the lowest price the book will ever sell for, as I am barely making any money on each sale. Do your holiday shopping for your favorite Phish fan in your life today! Grab one now!

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alf- “the sound had basically run it course”. i know what you are saying, but there was still enough improv weirdness up to ’02/’03 that kept me interested. i have not seen tab since ’02 or ’03. there probably have been some solid shows, but my enthusiasm has waned.